2025 High–Level Panels: Diplomacy

2025 High-Level Panels: Diplomacy

Opening Address
Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Singapore

Panel I: Multilateral, Multipolar - Cyber Diplomacy in a Digital Age
The rapid spread and adoption of transboundary digital technologies and the policy, legislative and diplomatic pressures on States to keep pace with them have strained the bases of State power, and at the same time, State-State relations that underpin the existing multilateral framework.

When technology threatens the very foundations of sovereignty, jurisdiction, and consensus-based cooperation, has multilateralism reached its limit? This panel considered how cyber diplomacy should adapt in order to stay relevant and effectively govern a borderless global cyberspace, while ensuring that all voices, big and small, are heard.

Panellists

• Mr Jiří Kozák, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic

• Ms Helen Popp, Ambassador at Large for Cyber Diplomacy, Estonia

• Mr Ernst Noorman, Ambassador-at-Large for Cyber Affairs, the Kingdom of the Netherlands

• Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Singapore

• Mr Nicholas Butts, Director, Global AI and Cybersecurity Policy, Microsoft

Moderator
Dr Shashi Jayakumar, Executive Director, SJK Geostrategic Advisory

Panel II: A World Apart - The Pursuit of Interoperability
In a world increasingly shaped by fragmenting multilateralism, tech competition and diverging cyber standards, how can States ensure secure, cohesive, and resilient ecosystems?

This panel examined the roadblocks and opportunities in the pursuit of interoperable frameworks, rules, norms, and standards in cyberspace, and the role of international organisations such as the UN and ASEAN in promoting collaboration and cooperation.

Keynote Speaker & Panellist
Claudia Plattner, President, Federal Office of Information Security, Germany

Panellists

• Mr Miguel Ángel Cañada, Head of Cabinet and National Coordination Center (NCC-ES), Spanish National Cybersecurity Institute (INCIBE), Spain

• AVM Amorn Chomchoey, Secretary General, National Cybersecurity Agency of Thailand

• Ms Atsuko Okuda, Regional Director, ITU Regional Office for Asia & the Pacific, International Telecommunications Union

Moderator
Dr Tobias Feakin, Founder, Protostar Strategy

Panel III: Making Consensus Work - The UN and the Future of International Cyber Cooperation
The recently concluded United Nations Open Ended Working Group on security of and in the use of information and communications technologies (2021 to 2025) agreed to establish a permanent Global Mechanism on developments in the field of ICTs in the context of international security and advancing responsible State behaviour in the use of ICTs (“UN Global Mechanism on ICTs Security”) by consensus.

It is expected that when it is established next year, the UN Global Mechanism on ICTs Security will serve as a structured, permanent forum that will provide both continuity and progress to discussions on the rules, norms, and principles of advancing responsible state behaviour as well as help foster international cooperation in cyberspace.

However, there are also views that cyber discussions at the UN have not moved far enough to truly advance an effective rules-based multilateral order in cyberspace. How can the UN continue to move the needle on international cyber discussions?

Panellists

• Ms Larissa Schneider Calza, Head, Cyber Defense and Security Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Brazil

• Ms Tupou’tuah Baravilala, Director-General for Digital Government Transformation, Cybersecurity and Communications, Ministry of Communications, Fiji

• H.E. Gobind Singh Deo, Minister of Digital, Malaysia

• Mr Andrew Whittaker, Cyber Policy Director, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, United Kingdom

Moderator
Mr David Koh, Commissioner of Cybersecurity, Chief Executive, Cyber Security Agency of Singapore

Panel IV: The New UN Processes - Possibilities and Challenges
The successful conclusion of the 2nd UN Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) on ICTs Security and the adoption of a consensus report proposing the setting up a UN Global Mechanism on ICTs security and the earlier successful conclusion of the work of the UN Ad Hoc Committee on Cybercrime with draft language for the UN Convention against Cybercrime are celebrated as milestone successes in international efforts against threats in cyberspace. However, there are questions if these mechanisms can indeed be effective and make a difference in meeting the challenges of newer and emerging threats such as AI, quantum and cyber enabled scams. This panel discussed what needs to be done to ensure that these successes do not just remain diplomatic agreements on paper but make a difference on the ground.